Forgotten
by Lara-Van
Summary: I tried to warn you," Molly says sadly from behind him. "She doesn't remember. Matt made her forget. They thought it would be... better." What was it that turned Peter into the dark man of the V3 future? My take. Daphne/Peter


**A Note From Lara:** Although the timeline of Heroes is pretty confusing, I'm working with the mathematical timeline I figured out which means that the "present" in Season 3 was approximately May to July of 2007. APPROXIMATELY. So that should give you some idea of how this goes. And once again, in a Daphter oneshot, I've turned Matt into the bad guy. Why do I keep doing this? I _like_ Matt!

This was inspired by the song Resistance by Muse. Seriously, Muse is _the_ best writing band ever!

* * *

--March 10th, 2009--

They've been sending people after him for several weeks now. Apparently his actions have become too big for his so-called family, and the rest of the world, to ignore. His picture is all over the television, his name all over the internet. But no one will listen. Not even Hiro. Hiro's too busy trying to deal with the present to worry about the future.

But today is the first time they sent _her_. He can't believe it. Claire, his niece, the one who started it all, for him at least. How is it that they managed to turn her into this deranged, dark woman with a blank empty place instead of a heart?

He knows the answer to that question. It's Gabriel's fault. Peter loves his brother, but he started it when he attacked her, and events just pushed her past the edge. And now she's a hunter, a remorseless killer.

As he flees, dodging or halting her bullets, she signals over her shoulder and he realizes that she's not alone today.

The next thing he knows, he's on the ground, tackled by someone moving way too fast. He hurls his assailant away with a burst of enhanced strength and speeds away, using the newly acquired power to make good his escape. But she- for she it is- catches up to him.

They're standing alone on a cliff overlooking the Atlantic. Whoever she is, she's utterly captivating despite the fact that she's about to try to kill him. Her blindingly blonde hair is spiked out in a wild array that makes her look like she stuck her finger in an electric socket. She studies him intently for a few moments, during which he tenses, prepared to spring into motion at any second should she make a move. But when she finally speaks, her words catch him completely off-guard.

"You're not really as bad as they say, are you?" she says.

Recovering from the surprise of such an unexpected remark, Peter shakes his head. "No, I'm not. I'm trying to save the world. All these powers... it could be a good thing, if it were done properly. But altruism seems to be in short supply lately."

"I know what you mean," she agrees. "People suck."

"I wouldn't put it quite that way," he says, grinning despite himself.

She shrugs unconcernedly. "They're expecting me to kill you," she says, and he tenses up again, berating himself for letting his guard down even for a moment. "--But I'm not going to."

He wonders if he's misheard her. "W-what?" he stutters

"I'm not gonna kill you. You seem like a decent guy, and I guess I agree with what you're doing, in a roundabout way," she reiterated.

"I see," he says slowly. "If you agree with _me_, why are you working for _them_?"

She doesn't reply for a moment. "It's a long story," she says finally. Peter has no doubt that it is, and irrationally, he hopes he'll get the chance to hear it. But for now, she's shaking her head. "I'll see you around, probably, next time they send us to hunt you down."

He nods. He knows this is how it has to be. But before she speeds off, he asks, "What's your name?"

"Daphne Millbrook."

--November 26th, 2009--

They did come after him again. And again. And again. And every time chance, or more frequently Daphne, saved his life. Though she always managed to escape suspicion by doing just enough to make Claire trust her, she seemed to genuinely care about him and almost always intervened just enough to prevent them from taking him. They talk if she arrives before Claire and their latest partner, Knox. But they've never been alone together for more than a few minutes since that first time.

Until today, anyway. It's raining, not unusual for New York in November. She's sped him away from the sight of their pitched battle to a deserted street in the business district.

"I can't keep doing this," she says. "I can't keep intervening. Eventually they're gonna catch me out, and then what will I do?"

Peter sighs and runs a hand through his hair. "You could come join me," he said. In fact, he would like nothing better. He doesn't know her very well, but in their few fleeting conversations he's learned enough to fall head over heels for her. Not that he's told her that. If it's mutual, she does a pretty good job of hiding it, and he doesn't like reading minds unless it's absolutely necessary. "I could do with a partner. I'm starting to see that I can't save the world all by myself."

She snorts. "Took you long enough." But the mixture of derision and joking slides off her face to be replaced with a very serious look. "But I... I just can't, Peter."

"And why is that?" he demands.

Daphne won't meet his eyes. "Just because," she says, her customary stubborn reply. He can't help but smile inside, even though he's frustrated with her. No, not frustrated, angry. He's angry because they're on opposite sides of this stupid, pointless one-man war. He's angry because she obviously agrees with him, but she won't join him. He's angry because he might just be in love with her.

"Daph, you've been giving me "just because" for months now!" he bursts out as the irritation gets the better of him. "Why can't you give me a straight answer?"

"I don't have to answer to you!" she shouts. "I'm my own woman and I do what I want!"

"Why?" he demands, taking a step towards her. "Why do you have to be so damn stubborn all the time? Why can't you just do what you believe is right?"

"Back off!" she hurls back, contradicting herself by matching his advance with one of her own. "I don't have to do this, do I? I don't have to help you! But I do, because I know you're right and that should be enough!"

She's right, of course, but he's too angry by now to be stopped by that. "It's not enough any more, Daphne! I want you to help me, more than just saving my ass when my psycho niece decides to try and put a bullet in my brain again." he shouts. "I want you to come with me! But you won't! Why not? Are you scared? I just need to know why. Why?"

"Because I love you!" she yells. Then her eyes grow huge and her mouth slams shut as she realizes what she's confessed.

For a moment, there's absolute silence except for the sound of the rain. And then, without saying a word, Peter steps forward and covers her lips with his own, trying to tell her silently that he loves her too and is willing to stand by her, no matter what comes next. She leans into the kiss and wraps her arms around his neck. A thought later, they're in his current apartment, falling back onto the bed...

--June 3rd, 2010--

They've been seeing each other in secret for months now, and the nights they're able to steal away to meet each other are the highlights of Peter's otherwise dark existence.

After that first night they spent together, they decided it would be better if she continued to work for Claire, in order to keep abreast of their movements. The perfect inside woman. She made up an excuse for her absence that night, and went back to them. Peter worries about her, but he understands that it's necessary.

But knowing it's necessary and putting up with it are two different things. As they lie naked on his bed, tangled together, she sighs. He glances at her. "You okay?" he asks softly.

She shakes her head, shifting away from him a little. "I don't like hiding this way," she says. "A new place practically every week, and sometimes I can't even find you at all. And if they catch us, we're _both_ dead. We never get to just spend the day together. I just want things to calm down, so that we can just be together, you know?"

He nods. "I know."

"Not everything," she says. "There's something..." She hesitates, and then props herself up on her elbow so she can face him directly. As he meets her eyes, she suddenly looks a little nervous. "Peter, I'm pregnant."

For a moment, he's shocked into silence. A thousand thoughts go through his head. He doesn't want to bring a baby into the world the way he's allowed it to become. He can't be with the woman he loves to take care of her the way he should. As the waves of shock and a hint of fear fly through him, one thing shines through it all: Joy. Because even if this isn't happening the way he would have planned, if he had the choice, he's going to be a father.

Daphne's watching him apprehensively, waiting for his response. He just smiles and plants a soft kiss on her lips. "What are we going to do?" she asks.

"I don't know," he says, pulling her into a comforting embrace. "We'll figure it out."

"Promise?" she asks, looking up at him with some of that playful spark he loves so much glimmering in her eyes.

He grins. "Promise. I'll take care of you, Daph. We'll find a way."

--December 14th, 2010--

And for awhile, they do. Daphne leaves her government job. She comes with him permanently. No more hiding in secret, no more lies. As far as Peter is concerned, it's heaven. Not perfect, but it'll do. He's able to be with the woman he loves more than anything, the mother of his unborn daughter. Of course, now they have no forewarning if Claire and her minions decide to go on the hunt.

Daphne is seven months along when they come, in the dead of night, bashing down the door and storming into the apartment. A heavy duty taser dart takes Peter out of commission fast, knocking him unconscious on the floor of their dingy apartment in Queens. Claire smiles in satisfaction to see him brought in at last. But as for the traitor... Claire raises her gun.

But her latest advisor, one Matthew Parkman, stays her hand. "No, I kinda like this one," he says slowly. "Couldn't I... rehabilitate her?"

"You mean do one of your creepy whammies on her to make her into your sick love slave?" Claire asks darkly.

He shakes his head. "Claire, you should know me better than that. Yeah, I'd get in her head, but I wouldn't be that depraved!"

Daphne spits at his feet, unable to do more than that through the choke-hold Knox has on her. "Bite me," she gasps through her bruised throat. "I'll never--" Knox clamps his free hand over her mouth to shut her up.

Matt is still looking at Claire. Finally, she sighs. "Fine," she mutters, waving a dismissive hand. "Go on, do your thing."

--March 25th, 2011--

He's been Claire's own personal voodoo doll for going on five months, and the only thing keeping Peter going is the thought of Daphne. He knows she'll have had the baby by now, and he's desperate to break out of this living hell his blood relative is putting him through, just to find her again. Day after day, as Claire tortures him, carving deep into his flesh, it's Daphne's face he focuses on to blot out the pain. When he's at the point of death, slow to heal because of the Haitian's presence, it's her voice he hears telling him to get up, fight back, he's stronger than this.

And finally he gets his chance. The Haitian is as loyal to the Bennet family as ever, but apparently his deep religious convictions place him on the same side as Peter for the time being.

As the dark-skinned man unlocks the thick metal cuffs on his wrist, Peter stares up at him. "Why are you helping me?" he asks.

"These abilities," the Haitian replies in his soft accent, "this is the work of god. Giving them wanton to anyone who asks... it is not our place."

Peter stands up, rubbing the raw places on his arms and pressing a hand to the deep scar that now slashes across his face- both the results of Claire's attentions. "Thank you," he says quietly.

"Do not thank me. Stop this. That will be thanks enough."

There's no reply to that, so Peter only nods. He has every intention of finding some way to fix this, whatever it takes. But first, he has someone he has to find...

--March 26th, 2011--

He finds her, alright. It takes him some time, but finally he locates her, living in the apartment of none other than Matt Parkman. He can't understand what she would be doing there, but he's apprehensive as he knocks on the door. Matt works for the government sometimes, but he was Peter's friend once, so maybe he's protecting Daphne for him?

The door swings open and a teenage girl peers out at him. Her dark eyes flash recognition and she smiles. After a moment, he remembers her as well- it's Molly Walker, the young clairvoyant. "You shouldn't be here," she whispers. "It's too dangerous. Matt's not here right now, but he could be back any minute. And there's something else--"

"Thanks," Peter says with a bitter smile, "but I need to talk to... Daphne..." His voice stutters as the woman in question steps into the room, carrying a tiny bundle that can only be their daughter.

Her brown eyes go wide with shock. "P-Peter," she whispers.

"Daph!" he cries, and he runs to her. "Oh my god, she's beautiful! What did you name her?"

But to his horror, she draws back, fear mixed with a fierce protectiveness of the child in her arms showing in her face. "What are you doing here?" she asks.

"I came to see you," he said. "All this time, I've been locked up, waiting to get out and come find you. Daphne, what's going on?"

She shakes her head, backing away. "What are you talking about?" she asks.

He takes a step toward her, deeply worried by her behavior, but she speeds to the other side of the room. "Stay away!" she half-shouts. "I don't care how fast you are, I had the power first- _I'm_ faster. If you so much as move..." And then she's gone.

Peter's staring in shock at the place she was just a second ago.

"I tried to warn you," Molly says sadly from behind him. "She doesn't remember. Matt made her forget. They thought it would be... better. They tried to make me think she's been her all along too, but my mind doesn't work the same way normal people's do. I still remember, but I pretend I don't. Somebody has to take care of Daniella- somebody who _isn't_ working for the government, anyway."

He can't do anything but stare at the teenager in shock and anger and fear. Words are completely beyond him.

Molly sighs, and her eyes are so full of pity he can hardly stand her gaze on him. "She's your daughter, isn't she?"

Peter can only nod.

"I thought so. She doesn't look like Matt at all. Not much like Daphne either. And from what I remember from before..." She shrugged. "I'll take care of her, I promise. I'll tell her the truth when she gets older."

"But Daphne..." Peter chokes out.

She shakes her head. "The mind-meld is permanent. She's never going to remember whatever it was you two had."

"No," he whispers. "No no no NO!!"

Molly opens her mouth to speak, but he's already sprinting out of the apartment. Not speeding- he can't bear the reminder of Daphne just now. He's just running, as hard as he's ever run in his life, out of the apartment, out of the building, down the street, running beneath the streetlights, not really sure where he's going. Eventually he arrives at an abandoned warehouse, and enters, breathing hard from shock and fear and a horrible ripping pain in his chest that feels like his heart might literally be breaking.

And that's when he hears Claire's gun cock. He tries, through his grief, to reason with her even though he knows it's useless. And so he freezes time, takes her gun, and bends the universe to his will.

He has to undo this.

~_FIN_~


End file.
